Palampur-Dharamsala bypass a drivers’ nightmare

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, April 18

Travelling on the Palampur-Dharamsala bypass is nothing less than a nightmare. Commuters are a harried lot due to a big pothole on the bypass which leads to fatal accidents every day. The stretch has virtually turned into a death trap for the commuters. Hundreds of commuters, including tourists, use this road to travel to Dharamsala, Bir, Baijnath and Mandi.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) has left sewerage lines of the Palampur bus stand open, at this stretch of the highway, which was damaging the road. The situation has moved from bad to worse in the past one year. There is a 1-metre deep pothole on the road. The area has not only become accident-prone, but also poses the risk of outbreak of major diseases because of the open sewerage pipes. However, no action has been taken by the HRTC so far and people continue to suffer.

A number of families residing near the Palampur bypass have made several complaints to the HRTC officials, demanding the repair of the sewer lines, but no steps have been initiated in this regard. The flow of sewerage lines is also polluting a source of drinking water, the Bhiral khud, in the lower areas of Palampur.

PWD Assistant Engineer Sarthak Sood said the department had repaired the pothole many times, but continuous flow of the sewer had been damaging the roads. He said the PWD had already brought the matter to the notice of the local HRTC authorities, but no action had been taken.

Palampur MC Commissioner Ashish Sharma said the MC officials had time and again requested the HRTC authorities to repair the sewer lines and tanks which were overflowing and emitting foul smell. However, the HRTC was yet to act, he added.

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